Shoe-fastener



(N0.Mode1.)

J.STBOH. SHOE FASTENER.

Patented Apr. 12, 1898.-

UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

JOHN STEGH, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

S HOE-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,147, dated April 12, 1898.

Application filed May 26, 1897. $erial No- 638,202. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte city, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful -Improvements in Shoe-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved means for fastening the flaps or flies of the upper portion of shoes; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide shoe-fasteners which may be readily attached to or removed from the ,shoe and when in use will present the appearance of an ordinary buttoned shoe, and, second, to provide such fasteners which will render the use of buttonholes unnecessary and which may be attached to the flaps or. flies of the shoe by hand and without the aid of other in strumentalities, thus affording a means for so setting or locating the fasteners as to cause the upper portion of the shoe to fit snugly and comfortably over the foot and around the ankle.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertainsto make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, showing the flaps or flies thereof secured together by means of my fasteners. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of the flies, showing a part of the overlapping fly upturned to exhibit the construction of the parts of the fastener. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the overlapping fiy, showing the hook and button secured thereon. Fig. 4 is a View, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the overlapping fly, showing the hook and button attached thereto; and Fig. 5 is a similar view of a portion of the lower flap, showing one of the eyes or catches secured thereto. v

. Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A represents the upper or overlapping flap or fiy, and B the lower one, to the latter of which is secured near its edge a number of catches or eyes 0, which are preferably form ed of wire bent into substantially a rectangular shape, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawingsthat is, when viewed from the side. The upper portion a of each of the catches or eyes when the same are secured on the lower flapor fly is located near the edge thereof, but a slight distance above its surface, as shown in Fig. 5, and is provided with two curved or downturned arms 0', which are passed through the flap or fly B and then bent back upon themselves and caused to clamp the said flap, as is clearly shown in the last-named figure of the drawings.

At proper places near the edge of the overlapping fly A are a number of buttons D, each of which is provided with an eyelet-shank cl,

which are passed through suitable openings I therefor in the overlapping flap. Secured near the shanks d of the buttons D, and usually to the lining A of the overlapping fly, are a number of securing devices E, which serve the double purpose of securing the buttons in position on the overlapping fiy and of engaging the eyes or catches O on the lower flap. Each of these securing devices is formed of one piece of wire, bent into an irregular broadened shape, which is substantially circular in form and constitutes the body E of said piece, whichbody is secured to the lower surface of the upper flap or to the lining thereof, and usually by passing the wire through openings or slits e, furnished for its reception. The portion ofthe wire of the piece E adjacent to the button-shank is bent outwardly from the body E and then laterally and then back over the body, forming one of the arms ei'and then bent to form the arm a parallel with the arm 6 and is then bent under the body to form a tongue eflwhich may be inserted into a slit or opening e in the lining of the upper flap. The arms 6 and e stride the shank d of the button D and constitute the hook E which is designed to engage one of the catches O on the lower flap. The other end e of the wire forming the securing-piece E is passed between the arms 6 e comprising the hook E and the body E, and extends through the eyelet-shank d of the button, all of which is clearly shown in the different views of the drawings. When the buttons are thus secured on the overlapping flap, it is evident that they (the buttons) may be taken hold of with the thumb and finger, when the hooks E may be placed in engagement with the catches O on the lower flap, and that by using my fasteners the use of a button-hook or shoe-buttoner is unnecessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a shoe-fastener the combination of an eye or catch secured to the lower flap of a shoe, with a securing device comprising the body E, secured on the lower surface of the upper flap of the shoe and formed with the arms 6 and 6 comprising the hook E to engage said eye, the button D, having the eyelet-shank cl, secured on the upper flap and between the arms of the hook by means of the wire of which the hook is a portion, substantially as described.

2. In a shoe-fastener the combination of the catch 0, having the arms 0, bent back upon themselves to secure said catch to the lower flap of the shoe, with the securing device comprising the body E, secured on the lower surface of the upper flap of the shoe and formed with the arms e ,and e comprising the hook E to engage said eye, the button D, having the eyelet-shank d, secured on the upper flap and between the arms of the book by means of the wire of which the hook is a portion, substantially as described.

JOHN STEOH.

Witnesses:

NEAL P. SHULIN, JAMES Hooxmc. 

